1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to edible cakes, and particularly to mechanisms for supporting one cake layer (or tier) above another cake layer, such that the upper layer does not damage or deform the lower cake layer.
2. Prior Developments
It is known to form cakes, such as wedding cakes, anniversary cakes, birthday cakes, etc., as multi-layer cakes of a stepped or tiered construction. Commonly the lowermost tier or layer is a generally cylindrical cake having a diameter of about 16 inches, and a vertical height of about 4 inches. The next layer has a somewhat smaller diameter, e.g. 14 inches and possibly the same or a slightly lesser vertical thickness. Succeeding layers have successively smaller diameters, to provide a stepped or tiered configuration.
Each cake layer is placed on a circular plate platform or disk having a diameter that is the same or slightly larger than the diameter of the cake layer. In order to prevent each upper cake unit (plate plus cake layer) from sinking into a lower cake unit, it is common practice to support each cake unit (especially the lowermost unit) by means of dowel rods inserted vertically into the next lowermost cake unit. Each support dowel rod has its lower end resting on the plate of one cake unit and its upper end abutting the undersurface of the plate for the next cake layer (unit).
Each dowel rod acts as a vertical, structural support post for the overlying cake plate. Several rods are required to provide a balanced support for each cake tier. Typically four to eight rods are necessary for each supported cake plate, with the number of rods being dependent primarily on the diameter of the cake plate and weight of the associated cake layer. The rods are usually oriented in a ring pattern, spaced a slight distance inwardly from the outer edge of the supported cake plate. The plate can be of various materials, e.g. thin sheet plastic, aluminum, or doublefaced corrugated cardboard. The ends of the rods are flat and normal to the rod axis in order to have facial contact with the plate surface, without producing any wobble of the rod. Also, the rod length is chosen or adjusted so that the supported cake plate is level, i.e. not slanted or tilted. If the plates are tilted to any appreciable extent, the entire cake has an unattractive appearance and the lack of support may cause the cake to fall. Also, one or more layers may shift laterally relative to other cake layers
One difficulty arises because a given cake layer may not have a uniform vertical thickness at all points on its surface. For example, the cake may rise unevenly in the baking process so that the cake thickness is relatively great along one side edge and thinner along another side edge.
Some times the cake layers are arranged as close together as possible, with minimal space therebetween. This is done so that the multi-tiered (multi-layered) cake can have a unitary stepped appearance without gaps or spaces between layers. When the cake layers have thickness variations within a given layer, or thickness variations from one layer to another layer there is a problem relating to correct selection of the support rods. The support rods for a given cake thickness have slightly different overall lengths. One common practice is for the user to have a box with many rods of different lengths. The user selects those rods that are the closest to the desired lengths.
Another practice is to change the length of a support rod by cutting it with a pair of scissors or pruning shears. Such support rods are of plastic having a relatively small diameter. e.g. about 1/4 inch or less. The rods can be made as thin-walled sleeves to facilitate cutting thereof with a scissors.
Using scissors or pruning shears to change the length of a cake support rod is disadvantageous in that the cut end of the rod is usually not exactly flat or normal to the rod axis; often the scissors cut is at an acute angle to the desired normal plane. When the upper (or lower) ends of the rods are acutely angled, the loading on the rods is undesirably offset from the rod axis. Also, the rods have lessened end areas in contact with the cake plates, with consequent potential for shifting or sliding of the cake plate.
Using scissors or pruning shears for changing the length of a support rod is additionally disadvantageous because it can only be used to reduce the length of the rod; a scissors cut cannot be used to increase the length of the rod. If a given rod is too short for a given situation it has to be discarded; another longer rod has to be cut to the necessary length.
The use of a scissors to cut cake plate support rods is described generally in U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,032 issued in the name of Standlee McMains.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,902,174 to A. G. Audsley presents an alternative to the use of the support rods described above. Audsley proposes a series of individual support units, wherein each support unit (except the lowermost unit) comprises a circular plate having a depending tubular section that is externally threaded, and an upwardly projecting tubular section that is internally threaded. The tubular sections of the various support units thread together to form a unitary multi-level platform for a multi-tiered cake. The patentee indicates that the thread connections provide axial adjustability for thickness variations of the cake layers.
One problem with the arrangement proposed in Audsley 2,902,174 is that because the tubular sections have relatively large diameters the thread surface area is necessarily large; in some cases the frictional forces can make it difficult to turn one section relative to another. Also, in order to achieve a fine axial adjustment of one section relative to another the thread pitch has to be relatively small; small pitch threads are subject to being stripped.
A further disadvantage of the Audsley patent arrangement is that the threaded connections cannot compensate for thickness variations within a given cake layer. The cake platforms are necessarily parallel (horizontal), without the possibility for minor tilt adjustments necessary to compensate for gaps produced by thickness variations across the area of a given cake layer.
It is also noted that the Audsley patent arrangement requires special annular baking pans. Additionally, the Audsley cake support system would in practice be relatively expensive, since each support section has a different size; the tooling expense would be relatively high, due to the fact that each support section needs its own tooling. The support sections are not interchangeable, and the apparatus is limited to a three tier cake construction.